FORT WORTH, Texas — On Monday morning, many school districts across the state opened their classroom doors again and officially kicked off the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Eight districts will start the year under a state takeover, including Houston and Fort Worth Independent School Districts, which both started on Monday.
In Cowtown, this is the first full school year with a new state-appointed board.
The state took over Fort Worth ISD this past spring after multiple campuses received failing ratings from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), including one campus, which is now closed, that received five “F” ratings five years in a row.
Spectrum News sat down with the new state-appointed superintendent, Dr. Peter Licata, ahead of the first day of school.
“We are going to make some significant changes. We are going to make some significant gains, but at the end of the day, it’s about what students do,” said Licata. “We’re going to hang our hat on being one of the best urban districts in the state. We’re far from that now, but everyone who’s committed to this district, who wants to stay here, is here.”
Parents walking their children to school on the first day of the 2026-27 school year on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 at W.M. Green Elementary School. (Spectrum News 1/Lauren Rangel)
One of the biggest changes this year is the introduction of the Elevate Network. It includes 19 of Fort Worth ISD’s lowest-performing campuses.
Licata said teaching there will be more systematic with less room for creativity in lessons, at least until rates improve.
“When parents drop their kids off at school, they expect us to be able to teach them and put them in a place where they’re going to be successful in the future,” said Licata. “So, the Elevate campuses though, we’ve really dumped a lot of resources—20 to 25 million into those schools because we believe they deserve it.”
Spectrum News spoke with parents dropping off their students Monday morning. There’s a lot of uncertainty about what this year holds, but they’re hopeful this will be the year things change for the better for the district.
“I feel good, haha, it’s been a long summer,” said Dashalua Wiley, a Fort Worth ISD parent. “Hopefully, they can get it right cause nowadays I feel like the teachers we have don’t really care about the students. They come just to get paid, so honestly, we got some good people to come and can teach the kids.”
The students are excited to be back with their friends and learning their favorite subjects.
“I’m excited about class. It’s my first day of school, and I’m ready,” said Royalty Wiley, a first grader. “I’m ready to learn.”
The sun rises on the first day of the 2026-27 school year at W.M. Green Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (Spectrum News 1/Lauren Rangel)
A lot of new teachers started Monday, including 50 new principals.
About 1,000 teachers and staff decided not to return this school year, which is significantly higher compared to previous years.
But as of Monday, the district said there were no teacher vacancies. Historically, the district’s seen around 200 vacancies on the first day of school.
The district helped fill some of those vacancies with uncertified teachers.
Last week, the school board, plus 11,000 Fort Worth educators and staff members, met at the Dickies Arena to prepare for today.
They gave themselves a motto for the new year: Mission Possible.
Licata spoke directly to educators at the meeting, calling for a united district.
“It’s about listening to them,” said Licata. “It’s about two-way conversations. It’s about being able to make decisions and change and pivot when things are better for the staff, for students to learn so what we’re looking at is an opportunity for a two-way conversation and opportunity to make the best of this organization.”